Decorative shoe accessories

ABSTRACT

The inventive concept is directed to a decorative accessory which is attached to a shoe upper to enhance the appearance of the same. In one embodiment there are studs passed through ventilation holes of the upper and each end of a decorative chain is attached to opposed studs in such manner to form a catenary. The studs have on their top decorative items attached thereto. In another embodiment clips are attached to shoe laces located at an upper end of the upper. Each of the clips has an eyelet thereon so that ends of a decorative chain can be attached thereto and again to form a catenary. In each embodiment, the decorative chains receive additional decorative elements.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many shoe accessories in the prior art. They are used to enhance the appearance of the shoe one I wearing.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,811 illustrates a shoe wherein the instead of laces the shoe is fastened on the foot by successive horizontal pairs of eyelets being fastened by elongate cords that exhibit some decorative effect.

U.S. Pat. No. 6.477,754, for example, shows a decoration on the shoe which is held in place by being interlaced with the laces of the shoe.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,020 discloses an eyestay ornament for a laced shoe. The ornament is held in place by being captured by the lace of the shoe.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,698,836 illustrates a system and method for securing accessories to shoes and other articles of clothing. In one embodiment there is shown a system for attaching a decorative accessory to a shoe.

Published US Application No. 2007/0084019 shows a decorative fastener for use upon an item to be worn by the user. The decorative item to be worn is on a shoe which consists of a decorative strip which is disposed between adjacent shoe laces.

Published US Application No. 2008/0060110 illustrates a shoe wherein decorative items are fastened to ventilation holes or openings on a shoe.

Published US Application discloses a decorative object which fastened to a shoe by being interlaced with the laces on the shoe.

U.S. Pat. No. 593,314 shows an ornamental design of individual decorations the may be fastened to the shoe any openings thereon.

PCT WO 2009/113774 illustrates a shoe accessory wherein the shoe width is adjustable by shoe laces thereon and a decorative element is maintained by being interlaced with the laces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The inventive concept is directed to ornaments which enhance the appearance of shoes by using either the ventilation holes of the shoe upper or the laces of the shoe to attach various decorations to the shoe. In one embodiment the ventilation holes or openings are used which are opposite each other to place fasteners or studs into the holes and then attaching a decorative chain to each of the studs so as to traverse the upper of the shoe and then to add further decorations to the traversing chain. In another embodiment the uppermost and crossing laces of the shoe are used to attach clips on each side of the crossing laces and the clips are used to attach a decorative chain to each of the clips and then to add further individual decorative items or elements to the chain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a shoe having decorative elements attached thereto by taking advantage of the ventilation holes;

FIG. 1A shows details of an element that is placed in the ventilation holes;

FIG. 2 illustrates a shoe having decorative elements attached thereto by taking advantage of the shoe laces;

FIG. 2A shows details of a clip element that attaches to the laces of the shoe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a shoe having decorations thereon that are fastened to the shoe S by using the ventilation holes or openings 2. The upper most pair of the ventilations openings 2 have attached there through inserts or studs 3. The studs 3 have attached thereto a hook or an eyelet 4. Each of the eyelets 4 receive the ends of a decorative chain 5 which is being attached thereto. Thereby, the chain 5 spans the upper of the shoe S in a draping manner or to form a catenary as can be seen in FIG. 1. The chain 5 itself can receive additional decorative elements 6 which can be fastened to the chain 5 by way of eyelets. The top of each of the studs can be provided with a decorative element such as a crystal glass, a shiny piece of metal or a precious stone.

FIG. 1A illustrates the details of the stud 3 which shows a bottom plate 7 having an upstanding circular stem 8 and at 3 there is shown the upper decorative element 3 which has a lower circular clip which is pushed into the upstanding circular stem to achieve a fastening of the stud 3 in the ventilation hole 2 of the shoe upper.

FIG. 2 shows the same principle as was shown in FIG. 1 except that the chain 5 is fastened to the shoe upper in a different way. In this embodiment, the chain 5 is fastened by taking advantage of the shoe laces 9. The shoe S has the laces 9 which are crossing each other from the bottom of the shoe upper progressively to the upper end of the shoe upper. Each one of the crossing laces at the upper laces receive a clip or clamp 10 so that they are placed opposite each other. On each of the clips 10 there is an eyelet 4 attached. (see FIGS. 1, 1A and 2A) Each of the eyelets 4 receives the end of a chain 5 to thereby form a catenary (also see FIGS. 1). As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the chain is looping downwardly and the additional decorative elements are attached to the chain.

FIG. 2A shows the detail of the clip or clamp 10 which has a hinged element 11 attached thereto so that when the hinge is open, the hinge elements 11 will slide under their respective laces and when closed will be attached thereto. FIG. 2A also shows the top 12 of the clip 10 having a decorative element 12 attached thereto which, as mentioned with regard to the studs 3 in FIG. 1 may take many different forms. In FIG. 2A there is also shown the eyelet 4 which will receive the ends of the chain 5. 

1. A decorative accessory attached to a shoe upper, said attachment consists of a decorative chain forming a catenary on said upper, said chain has means for attaching the same are two opposed locations at an upper end of said upper.
 2. The decorative accessory of claim 1, wherein said means for attaching at each of said opposed locations is a stud having been passed through ventilation holes at that location.
 3. The decorative accessory of claim 2, wherein said decorative chain is attached to an eyelet located at each of said studs.
 4. The decorative accessory of claim 1, wherein said means for attaching at each of said opposed locations is a clip having shoe laces of said upper caught therein.
 5. The decorative accessory of claim 4, wherein said decorative chain is attached to eyelets located at each of said clips.
 6. The decorative accessory of claim of claim 1, wherein said decorative chain has additional decorative elements attached thereon.
 7. The decorative accessory of claim 4, wherein said decorative chain has additional decorative elements attached thereon.
 8. The decorative accessory of claim 2, wherein each of said studs has a decorative item attached to a top of the same.
 9. The decorative accessory of claim 4, wherein each of said clips has a decorative item attached to a top of the same. 